5x5

[V8mate]

LordGrover said:

I know he's young, but that looks like a lot of work.
If I were a kid I'd stick to SL5x5 as it's written for a year or so.

Young people need (to learn) discipline which they can then build skills upon.

[chris watton]

OK, I'll omit the T-bar rows and Incline presses. I know one of the 5x5 variations specify only three exercise per session, but I have never run that one, using a Reg Park beginners 5x5 power routine instead - which is 5 exercises per session.

[Tall_Paul]

TBH (speaking from experience as a skinny fecker!) it'll only be a few weeks before the weights start to get heavy for him, I'm about 4 months in and a normal workout for me is now around 90 minutes, I need that 3 mins rest between every set. The simplicity of SL 5x5 is what keeps me going, that and seeing actual progress on the weights going up week on week, and the scales going up too I keep meaning to add some assistance stuff (dips and chin-ups on respective workouts) but I don't have the time at the moment to add then in.

Oh and SL 5x5 app is awesome, he won't need to keep track with spreadsheets or anything, ever has a timer for rest periods between sets.

Edited by Tall_Paul on Sunday 29th May 18:58

[didelydoo]

chris watton said:

OK, I'll omit the T-bar rows and Incline presses. I know one of the 5x5 variations specify only three exercise per session, but I have never run that one, using a Reg Park beginners 5x5 power routine instead - which is 5 exercises per session.

I like the look of it TBH, just make sure the weights are light enough and he's eating enough- it's only 3 days a week, so volume isn't too much IMO. I think a lot of people don't push hard enough, fearful of overtraining and such like- he'll do fine as long as poundages are sensible I rekon.

[chris watton]

didelydoo said:

chris watton said:

OK, I'll omit the T-bar rows and Incline presses. I know one of the 5x5 variations specify only three exercise per session, but I have never run that one, using a Reg Park beginners 5x5 power routine instead - which is 5 exercises per session.

I like the look of it TBH, just make sure the weights are light enough and he's eating enough- it's only 3 days a week, so volume isn't too much IMO. I think a lot of people don't push hard enough, fearful of overtraining and such like- he'll do fine as long as poundages are sensible I rekon.

Cheers

I made that routine because I was impressed with his recovery times - and he has three months before going back to uni and using the gym there. I figured all of those exercises would be a very good base to work from.

I have impressed upon him the need to eat a truckload (at least twice as much as me), I told him that his body/metabolism is like a steam train going at full pelt 100% of the time, and it needs topping up with fuel as often as possible.

With the 5x5's you never are near the 1RM anyway, I figured. You need enough strength and energy to get through the 3 working sets of 5 reps, with the last couple of reps on the final set being the hardest.

I thought Box Squats would be a nice break-up of the thrice weekly standard Squats, and for him, being over 6' with long legs, he'll still go below parallel anyway. I added the T-Bar rows because I find them a great 'aggressive' pulling exercise, that would help thicken and strengthen his back a lot quicker than just doing 5x5 rows - I have discovered that the back can take a hell of a lot of punishment.

In fact, I think that I too shall do this routine for the next 4-5 weeks..

[didelydoo]

chris watton said:

Cheers

I made that routine because I was impressed with his recovery times - and he has three months before going back to uni and using the gym there. I figured all of those exercises would be a very good base to work from.

I have impressed upon him the need to eat a truckload (at least twice as much as me), I told him that his body/metabolism is like a steam train going at full pelt 100% of the time, and it needs topping up with fuel as often as possible.

With the 5x5's you never are near the 1RM anyway, I figured. You need enough strength and energy to get through the 3 working sets of 5 reps, with the last couple of reps on the final set being the hardest.

I thought Box Squats would be a nice break-up of the thrice weekly standard Squats, and for him, being over 6' with long legs, he'll still go below parallel anyway. I added the T-Bar rows because I find them a great 'aggressive' pulling exercise, that would help thicken and strengthen his back a lot quicker than just doing 5x5 rows - I have discovered that the back can take a hell of a lot of punishment.

In fact, I think that I too shall do this routine for the next 4-5 weeks..

He's young and should be able to take quite a beating from training and bounce back fine- good age to get stuck in too. And as mentioned, 3 days a week gives him loads of time to recover.

[lost in espace]

I have adjusted a bit and now do a session every other day, I was doing 3 days a week M/W/F. This seems to be having a good effect with some creatine, caffeine tablets and plenty of protein powder. But once again the weights get heavy, and as the session with barbell row gets up to about 2 hours with warm ups, morale starts to sink a bit.

However this time I am more determined, and accept that the bar will be almost impossible to move. When I started this I was 12 stone having dieted to improve my running, and I am at 13st 8lbs now with little belly so I must have put on at least a stone of muscle.

I don't use a belt now which seems to help, and a caffeine tablet works wonders. I have almost stopped running apart from the weekly parkrun, from 150 miles a month, but feel so much better for it. I don't mind a heavy weights session so much, whereas a 12 mile training run was always agony.

[DervVW]

Ive ran this and running training together - not especially compatible... I hear your pain. Good luck!

[Foliage]

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a super simple good beginners 5x5? What's the best way to warm up before lifing? do you need to stretch before and after?

I was lifting last year but using cable, I want to jump straight into 5x5. Im also running so I want to start off with 5x5 quite easy and my thoughts on it are that it will help my core, legs and back especially the compound movements.

[V8mate]

Foliage said:

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a super simple good beginners 5x5? What's the best way to warm up before lifing? do you need to stretch before and after?

I was lifting last year but using cable, I want to jump straight into 5x5. Im also running so I want to start off with 5x5 quite easy and my thoughts on it are that it will help my core, legs and back especially the compound movements.

Two tables a short way down this page.
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

Maybe ask a PT for a half hour session to check your form? The difference between 'smashing it' and wasting your time can often by the slightest correction in alignment.

Warm up? Meh. You can do five of each discipline with an empty bar first if you just want to wake up the relevant bits.

Stretching... afterwards.

[Tall_Paul]

This ^

SL 5x5, download the app, and when you've got some weight on the bar, get the warm up add-on, or the powerpack.

Your legs will get much bigger, core and back will improve a lot too - after all you'll be squatting 3x a week, and deadlifting every other session so 2x a week, then 1x a week.

It starts off easy but it WILL get tough after a month or so.

Foliage said:

Can anyone point me in the right direction of a super simple good beginners 5x5? What's the best way to warm up before lifing? do you need to stretch before and after?

I was lifting last year but using cable, I want to jump straight into 5x5. Im also running so I want to start off with 5x5 quite easy and my thoughts on it are that it will help my core, legs and back especially the compound movements.

Maaged a 77.5kg squat today after a deload at the same weight 2 weeks ago. Next stop, bodyweight squats (82.5kg), then 100kg squats...

[lost in espace]

My squat is now at 125kg, just over 1.5 bodyweight. Deads are at 107.5, after yesterdays session I have a sore upper back thanks to deads. I do have a couple of aged discs, I might deload and see how it goes. I remember when the deads got really heavy before, it was like the bar was fixed to the floor. The last thing I want is an injury, I use it as an excuse to stop and don't start again until about 2 months later.

I am certain caffine, creatine and BCAA+ tablets are making my squats achievable its the heaviest I have ever done. Not many plates left!

[shakotan]

New starter here.

I'm about to commence Wk4, here's my current stats.

Squat: 40kg
Bench Press: 30kg
Bent Over Row: 40kg
Overhead Press 27.5kg
Deadlift: 55Kg

Long way behind most of you folks, but this is the first 'proper' go at weights I've ever done.

[Mr. H]

I would love to reset back to those weights so I'm not stuck in the misery of plateaus and failures.

Currently 68kg, eating loads (as much as I can afford) but not gaining weight.

SQ 77.5kg - failed x1 (5 5 2 0 0)
OHP - 32.5kg - failed x2 (5 5 5 4 5) and (5 5 5 5 4)
DL - 80kg - failed x1 (4)
BP - 55kg - that was really heavy so will fail soon
ROW - 50kg

As you can see I had a pretty tough day yesterday failing on everything but my head really wasn't in it.
I'm going to drop back to 75kg on squats and I know I can get the OHP next time but I think I'll be stuck at this weight for some time. My deadlift is suffering because I don't have the grip and the bar is slipping into the tips of my fingers.

Edit: I failed on the first set of deadlifts, it just felt like more when I was recounting the pain in my mind.

Edited by Mr. H on Tuesday 5th July 14:52

[DervVW]

You are in a good place - lifting well compared to your body weight!
When I did the program, you only did one set of deadlifts...

Grip is the killer. Go back a little and you'll soon get going again. Its worth a try, you don't want to get disheartened.

[HootersGsy]

I was having the same problem with grip on deadlifts, by the end of the set I was literally hanging onto the bar by my finger tips! I then read somewhere about really squeezing the hell out of the bar and also using a (forget the proper name) mixed grip for the final workout set.

Doing this took me from 135kg to a 155kg deadlift before a bout of flu has knocked me back to 110kg but heading north again

[TheGreatSoprendo]

HootersGsy said:

I was having the same problem with grip on deadlifts, by the end of the set I was literally hanging onto the bar by my finger tips! I then read somewhere about really squeezing the hell out of the bar and also using a (forget the proper name) mixed grip for the final workout set.

Doing this took me from 135kg to a 155kg deadlift before a bout of flu has knocked me back to 110kg but heading north again

I find liquid chalk helps with this.

[chris watton]

I admit that sometimes, I use straps to help hold the bar for both Deadlifts, Shrugs and BB/DB heavy rows. For DL's, I am Ok up to around 140kg, but after this, doing multiple reps can be a nightmare for my tiny hands (even with chalk), and am not too keen on under/over hand grip - although it's OK for trying one rep.

[didelydoo]

I use straps when I CBA holding on However, I've got a great grip, so straps tend to be used more to keep the emphasis on the right muscles, I uses them for most back related training nowadays.

[chris watton]

didelydoo said:

I use straps when I CBA holding on However, I've got a great grip, so straps tend to be used more to keep the emphasis on the right muscles, I uses them for most back related training nowadays.

Yeah, but the weight that you row, most can't even Deadlift!

How's training going, BTW, steady I assume?